1.Field of the Invention
An apparatus for supporting an oxygen tank and its carrier on a wheelchair.
1. Description of the Prior Art
Wheelchair users, particularly those with respiratory ailments, often require the use of oxygen to facilitate respiration. Oxygen is available as a compressed gas contained within a cylindrical metal tank. A wheeled oxygen tank carrier to which an oxygen tank is strapped enhances the mobility of the oxygen tank, allowing the user of the tank to wheel the tank about. Wheelchair users, however, have difficulty in maneuvering the oxygen tank and its carrier about while operating the wheelchair at the same time since both of the users hands are required to operate the wheelchair. Similarly, anyone pushing a wheelchair while simultaneously wheeling the oxygen tank carrier may find that maneuvering both the wheelchair and tank carrier at the same time can be difficult.
Conventional foldable wheelchairs have no place to locate an oxygen tank and its carrier in order to remove the burden, of operating both the wheelchair and the tank carrier, from the wheelchair operator. conventional foldable wheelchairs are designed to transport a wheelchair occupant and to fold up neatly for ease of storage, not to carry an oxygen tank. Location of a permanent support for the oxygen tank and its carrier on the wheelchair is made difficult by the collapsible frame of the wheelchair which allows the wheelchair to be folded for storage.